Afghanistan and Tajikistan signed a memorandum of understanding on environmental protection. It will serve as a basis for joint work to protect the common mountain ecosystem of the Pyanj and Amu Darya river basins.
Negotiations between the two countries have been held under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe with the support of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) since 2012, reported by the UN News Center.
The agreement, which was signed in Dushanbe on September 17, 2020, is for five years. It addresses five key issues: adaptation to climate change, biodiversity conservation, water quality monitoring, environmental assessment and exchange of knowledge and experience in ecosystem management.
It contains the commitment of the two countries to carry out an environmental assessment of joint projects and to notify each other in the event of potential transboundary environmental impacts.
«The agreement provides Afghanistan and Tajikistan with an opportunity to jointly make decisions aimed at combating climate change and preserving biodiversity. We hope that in the future this cooperation will extend to other countries of the Amu Darya basin», – said the head of the UNEP disaster and conflict program Harry Lewis.
